Why would I choose a wedding Celebrant over a Registrar?

Having a Celebrant led Wedding Ceremony means you have complete flexibility over your venue – anywhere, anytime. With so many hidden gems, stunning private estates, beautiful outdoor locations, unlicensed and licensed venues out there, a Celebrant offers you the chance to have your wedding in any location you find and love.  Meaningful spots, settings of unimaginable beauty… this alternative to a civil ceremony opens endless doors.

A Celebrant will also personalise your ceremony to suit your style and you will get to know your Celebrant over the course of planning your wedding so you have a personal, meaningful connection for the most important day of your life.  Your Celebrant will create a unique ceremony from scratch, one that truly reflects you as a couple. It can be light hearted, humorous, formal or simple and will perfectly suit you as a couple.

Aside from writing a service that is purely about you, the couple, a Celebrant-led wedding could include:

Wedding Ceremonies with Spiritual Symbolism

Many couples choose a celebrant wedding as they want to incorporate an element of spiritual symbolism in their wedding: this could include Hand Fasting, candles, crystals, trees… the list goes on!

Traditional Wedding elements

Another way in which people personalise their ceremony is by tying in relevant traditions (such as a Jewish glass smash or Chinese tea ceremony) or cultural points; this could be something that has been passed through the family, or a totally new tradition that you want to set for future generations!

Involve guests in the wedding

You could involve your guests with special readings, songs or even to play a part in your tradition. This adds an extra layer of flexibility, meaning you can choose the people that are special to you and give them a key role in your day.

Ceremony abroad and at home

We’ve mentioned the huge plethora of venue options when you have a celebrant-led wedding, including ceremonies abroad. But a popular aspect of these ceremonies is that it gives you the option to have both home and away.

For those that can’t attend your abroad wedding, you could use a celebrant to renew your vows back home or have a second wedding altogether.

Could a Registrar personalise our wedding?

In the UK, Local Registrars are bound by their legal format and there are limitations to the content of the service they can provide. They have set times, set locations and restrictions on what they can and cannot say or do. It is more than likely you will also not know the person delivering the most important words to you as a couple either.

How much does a wedding celebrant cost?

Celebrant led weddings offer an affordable alternative. You no longer have to search purely for wedding venues that are licensed; you may have a favourite restaurant, farm, beach or even holiday home that hosts large parties, the options are endless with a Celebrant.

In addition, since there is so much variety in what a celebrant can provide (and where they will do so), there is no set fee structure.

As a general rule of thumb, you could expect to pay between £450-£1,500 for a celebrant, with the majority of people paying between £500 and £700.

How much does a wedding cost with a registrar?

If you opt to have a registrar officiate your wedding, you will typically pay between £46 if you’re marrying at a registry office, or £86 at a registered religious building. This fee may differ if you intend on getting married at other approved premises.

Can I have a ceremony with a celebrant and a registrar?

You can combine a wedding ceremony with a celebrant and a registrar.

You can choose to carry out the legal aspect of your ceremony with a registrar, followed by the personalised and meaningful Celebrant-led celebration in the presence of all your family and friends.

Of course, this is more expensive. However, it’s a popular option for couples who want to tick off the legal side of marriage at the same time as their Celebrant-led ceremony.

Photographer Credit: Alisa Roberts